Day 74 (Wednesday)

An early start for all of us including Emma who decided she wanted to go out again this morning. Yes, yes, I'll watch her I assured S - which is probably why she went missing soon after. To her credit, S was incredibly restrained and came out to help me search high, search low, and search in the middle (we have learned from Tink that cats can "suspend" themselves just off the ground). It's at times like this that you realise having a visually-challenged not-knowing-her-way-around cat can be quite a concern. We were banking on her hearing being okay so that she could at least follow our voices back from wherever she was. It may have been the balloons that frightened her and distracted me. They were doing gas burns and were almost overhead at one stage - so putting a car between them and her probably seemed like a good idea to Emma at the time. She was wandering out from under Lars when S found her (I'm sure I had already looked there!). We made sure Pearl received good pats for helping - she was mostly asleep when we called her but out she came and went here, and there, and was with S when Emma emerged. Then it was right back inside with that cat - and S doesn't have to remind me that the next time I say I'm going to watch her and take the camera out to get some shots of her, I am not allowed to get distracted ... but those balloons were so pretty against the backdrop of clouds gently rolling over the Hinterland hills. (It would have been good if I had gotten the shot.)

All of this happened before 6:15am - it was really an early start because Lars needed to be dropped off early so I could get a lift to work with Joan (who starts at 7!!!). Hopefully they will be finished with him today, otherwise I will get a lift home with J and borrow the Honda tomorrow - and then work out a way to get both home without doing the "drive half a kilometre ... park ... go back for the other car ... drive a kilometre ... park ... go back for the other car ... etc.". Hmmm ... if it comes to that maybe F would like to visit or I could grab a lift with the next-doors.

Hermes seemed a little less heartbroken today so S felt no need to spoil him with treats and run the risk of overfeeding him. Did we mention that he's now wearing a lighter coat during the day and has his fly mask on (please note use of "technical" term).

I managed to turn the BBQ on tonight and J coached me through Meat Searing 101. It's quite easy when someone else does it but I insisted in helping cut the sausages apart and spinning them and flipping the chops and steak. I let her do the kebab turning because it looked like a great way to get fingers burned especially if you had no prior experience. We were incredibly lucky though. We had moved the BBQ out from under cover (S had read or heard somewhere that you're supposed to) and cooked and cooked and cooked, and then moved the meats to a serving platter, turned the gas off and went inside ... and literally a minute later the skies opened and the rain bucketed down - on where we had just finished cooking (it rained in other places too). And how lucky was it that after a brief discussion Jo had allowed me to put the hood down!

Pearl was exceptional this evening. While J and I were cooking, Pearl was on the back deck obviously watching over us, S and the barbecue - all at the same time - a big ask for one dog. Then, as we ate, she sat beside or under the table and didn't pester anyone for food. The other kids stayed out while the visitors were here but came in soon after they left.

It's good when companies conduct surveys on topics which affect most of us - although it's sad when you realise, from your own personal experience, that they're talking through their collective hats. One such study, released today, reports that you pay more in Brisbane for a takeaway coffee - $3.31 - than people in Sydney ($3.06) and Melbourne ($3.22). They didn't go anywhere I go ... $3.20 or ... oh wait - they could be right but I'm still dubious about the one cent!

And speaking of sense - Racing Queensland has said "no" to the Fillies Stakes (using adult women) in a novelty race at the Turf Club and will keep saying no unless the Club submits a proposal which includes attire more attuned to an elite sports event - but if they mean racing we're all in trouble especially if they decide to change the required dress for the race from bikini to ... saddle! Not surprisingly the chat pages of the Gold Coast Bulletin are awash with people saying the (not so) original concept for the race would be in keeping with the look and feel of the Gold Coast and any suggestion that participants cover-up is political correctness gone mad. Here at Latimers, MWC are still very much the fashion of choice. Elsewhere, swimwear is on full display. Brisbane International Airport has been given a makeover - red and yellow flags on the airfield and lifesavers inside the terminal welcoming visitors (and returning residents) and encouraging them to swim between the flags - at the beach, not at the airport where the big jet engines roar!

Day 73 (Tuesday)

"Holly!!!!!!!!!!" (in the style of "A Streetcar Named Desire") ... it's a wonder they didn't hear it in Turkey except they may not have understood it because it was in horse talk. Today was a distressing day for both Hermes and Gundy. L came over and confirmed that Holly was going off to the stud. S thought that meant "sometime" so she was a bit surprised when later today they loaded her (Holly - S would have been truly surprised if it had been her) into the float and drove away. There was much running up and down the paddock, gnashing of teeth and great whinnyings as Hermes and Gundy realised they would no longer have Holly's feminine wiles to help them through the day. We're not sure how horses think but hope Holly's departure and absence will be registered as that and not as a "disappearance" or worse.

But at least they can take some solace in that there will always be girls in racing ... even if it is a badly conceived (oops, make that "borrowed" because, alas, it is not original) idea to have bikini-clad girls line up in the barriers and "race". This is supposed to be the big event to launch the Summer racing carnival and could include a field of 150 adult females who, wearing runners and bikinis, will compete in knockout heats until there is a winner of the $5,000 on offer.

With initiatives like this, it's a wonder that Queensland Tourism feels compelled to introduce a new logo to replace "Where Else But Queensland". I'm not quite sure how many millions of dollars were invested in researching and designing the new campaign but it was launched today: Queensland - Where Australia Shines.

There was an amazing thunderstorm this afternoon - so bad that it brought hail to some of South East Queensland (not here) and power outages throughout Brisbane and the Gold Coast. When it hit, I was with my new supervisor in a construction shed at the far end of the site and the rain was coming down so heavily you couldn't hear anything but it hitting the metal roof. But it was difficult for me to concentrate ... we had driven over to the site from the office (it's that far!) and because it had been so hot and steamy in the lead-up to the storm, I had put the car windows down ... and as I sat watching the rain bucket down all I could think was: "Did I remember to put the windows up?" and "What do I have in the car to dry the seats with?" and "How long will it take for the wet car smell to dissipate?" In the end I decided that if the windows were down, the inside of the car wasn't getting any wetter and returned my concentration to the presentation Peter was giving.

I did have the opportunity to talk with him in the car on the way to and from the site (did I mention the windows were up?) and there is a position there if I am interested. I have still to find out what the position is - but it's nice to know there is something going. From what he's heard, it's not looking good for the other project ... and, independently, I heard the same from someone else today as well. The options are apparently down to three: build as is with us; build smaller with us; build smaller with someone else. There may be a good indication within the next two weeks so we'll keep ears peeled for that.

Emma has just done another Houdini and zipped out the door while S had it open. That's at least her second time this evening - and while she was out there she had to drink from the bucket, and the dish in the dog and, just for something different, it looked as though she was going to hop up onto Pearl's day bed. Not sure if this is where Tink was most of last night. She had ignored the "last chance" call and when S finally came to bed, it was raining heavily enough that she knew Tink wasn't going to come. She kept checking every hour or so to see if Tink had made it in - but it wasn't until 4-ish that she appeared. Tink, obviously tired from her big night out, spent most of today lounging on the sofa.

Uncle R did come today and even though there were biscuits for he and S to share for their smoko, R shared his Mudgeeraba pie with S (she loved it and was suitably grateful) and his Vanilla Slice with Pearl (she loved it and was suitably grateful). It was dark by the time I arrived home so I couldn't see what he'd been up to although I seem to remember S saying he was slashing the back paddock, and his daughter was helping him. A quick check with S confirms that he did edging as well, and some tidying up in some problem areas. He would have done more but then it started raining ... really heavily - because Queensland is "where Australia shines". You know, I can't help but think someone heard us talking about our numerous trips north and how, even it had been raining on the New South Wales side of the border, as soon as we crossed into Queensland - the sun would come out. Tomorrow.

Day 72 (Monday)

S has a busy day planned for Latimers and I am playing auditors' gopher again - which is anything but easy with our accounting package and the "systems" in place to support it (established before I arrived). But there has been great support from other areas of the business to get the information we need - so that's a big plus!

It's also time to change Lars' registration from the southern state to the Sunshine State. Even as I write this the Mobile Roadworthy Man (not the actual business name but the activity) has taken Lars off for a drive so he can do the safety check. All done. Now just need to get a couple of fix-its done and a green slip and watch out Department of Transport because here we come. And who would have thought the David would be so helpful - in telling Mr Roadworthy where I was, I mentioned the complex and he said "is that the one with the big statue" ... which was fantastic because that's exactly where I was going to suggest that we meet - since I have no idea what the street address is.

Tink was certainly doing her very best to be noticed this evening. Four times I had a car moving through the yard and four times Tink was where the car wanted to be. Twice S had to come out and physically pick her up to move her - and no thank you, she did not want to sit on the warm bonnet of either Lars or the Honda.

Emma decided she wanted to be an outside cat today. She managed it three times - including once where she was sun baking on the front area with both Maggie and Tink. This is a continuation of her fascination with outside since Saturday. Yesterday morning I was putting some litter material outside and she darted through the partly opened screen door ... almost getting her head caught ... and was very happy to stay out there for ages. Not sure what's gotten in to her ... and whether she would be quite so outgoing - or if the other kids would be quite so tolerant (there was some hissing - but not from them) - if S wasn't around.

BBQ No. 2 is slated for tomorrow evening when J comes round to collect the camera for use at the 21st birthday party. I can't believe it's 21 years since last I was in Scotland (it's funny how we remember things, isn't it) - or that I still haven't renewed my passport but I did finally get around to having the pics for it taken - and, reminder for next time, don't feel compelled to do it on the day after you've had 6 hours sleep. But, I figured, even as I was having them taken, that's how you look at the end of a long-haul flight. It's as my brother says: the photo most people have on their driving licence shows exactly what they look like when they have just been pulled over by the police.

The new Parliament sits for the first time this week and by some reports, it is going to be amazing if the Gillard Government can survive 100 days. The Opposition is going all out to make it as difficult as they can for them - even down to making "pairing" - where they stand down one of their own if someone on the other side needs to be absent from a vote - incredibly difficult. The acceptable excuses for "pairing" have been seriously restricted - almost to the point of an absence having to be "in the national interest" and the Opposition will decide what that is. Yes, there's nothing like a "kinder, gentler" era of Australia politics. Apparently, the "Terminator Abbott" thinks it's worth it - even though he has gone back on his word. Ah well, if one was really interested, they could go back and see whether he had written it down - because, by his own admission, his promises are worth nothing if they are not.

It's almost certain that Tiger Lily will not be coming to her grandmother's funeral later this week in Nerang. Michael Hutchence's mother, Patricia Glassop, 81, died last week after a short illness. There was a history of acrimony between she and Bob Geldof, who adopted Tiger Lily after mother Paula Yates' death. Glassop said Geldof wasn't so much a "saint" as "Satan" (which could make a rather bizarre Samagram).

The Colorbond Moments continue although S did note that the grass could do with mowing again because it isn't "short". Hmmm ... she's right of course and I'll try to sneak in another mow later in the week - possibly Wednesday, as long as I get home early enough from the Hospital site. It's my first day there tomorrow and S has just asked me if I'm nervous. I hadn't actually given it that much thought - so I guess, no. I'm lucky because I know folk over there already, including Joan who was the Executive Assistant on our project. I'm not planning to get a lift with her though - she starts at 7 and is still there after 5. No wonder she hasn't had time to finish the Twilight novels - especially since she doesn't like reading them when it's dark (something about being a little too open to suggestion).

Well, off to get Tink in (the last one out for the evening) and marvel at the soft rain falling once again over Latimers. I don't think it's forecast to continue tomorrow.

Day 71 (Sunday)

Well you have never seen a person so excited to hear about daylight savings time starting in NSW next Sunday. T was beside herself with the knowledge that she could make our usual Skype call an hour later! The only person more excited was me - because Queensland doesn't have daylight savings. This means I can still do the call at the same time and make the Markets on time.

It's a good theory but even now we don't seem to be able to make it by 10 o'clock. But at least we had an excuse this morning - we had to go back for something - and as it turned out F was running late too because he decided to take his brother to the airport. One of the boys had been lined up to do it, but when F found him still awake and playing computer games after 4 this morning, he decided it was safer to do it himself. It's good practice for next week for the return of the travellers. We've decided to go up in one car - one of the 4x4's - which should be big enough to take all five of us and the luggage.

By the time we made it to the Markets, we met M and A who were just leaving as she had cooking to do for a lunch. We did have the chance to ask about N and whether she had heard about the job yet - nothing, except that she should have word by the start of October, and you can bet she'll be on to them as soon as the Public Holiday on the 4th allows.

And speaking of our National Capital, Ms Julia (and partner) have finally moved into The Lodge - three months after taking over from Mr Rudd as Prime Minister of Australia. And Mr Rudd did get that seat on the front bench of the new Cabinet - as Foreign Minister - and boarded a plane to an international forum almost within hours of his appointment.

The weather favoured us today and I was able to spend some time with the ride-on mower and take it for a few laps of the yard and of Hermes' paddock. I must have been feeling okay about it because I remember thinking that I was having "Colorbond moments" while I was doing it! I was impressed that Pearl knows to keep herself well away from the mower - I hadn't actually noticed it before but today as she was in the stables, when I did the lap and started back towards her, she stretched, looked at me, looked at the mower, and trotted off towards the house. The great news is that all of the balls have been found again - and the even better news is that none of them went through the mower. (There was never actually any real chance of that happening!)

After spraying off the mower, on the way back to the house, I called for Pearl to come and she ran up and had a big pat and went back to where S was waiting, and then, unbidden but as welcome, Beazley trotted up for a pat as well. Those animals are such smoochers - including Tink who watched "Hello Dolly" with me yesterday, and Maggie who is sleeping on the bed down the back and whenever I go over to plug/unplug the power for various devices she rolls over for a pat. I wonder if she misses the Great K's shirt. (Still no word from that quarter.)

I can't believe we missed the third instalment of Mini MasterChef tonight. We ended up watching "60 Minutes" as we had a late dinner and it was only after the program was finished and we'd moved on to "Come Dine With Me" (UK) that the cheflings were remembered. It was so much easier with MasterChef where it was on (almost) all the time. We might have to catch it on the we instead. I think I now understand why they call it the "web" - once you go there, you get stuck on it.

There has been a new addition to the Coast skyline - atop the transit centre. The Wheel of Surfers Paradise opened on Friday evening and since then nearly 4,000 people have ridden it. Development plans for the complex include a rooftop cafe, mini-golf and a reptile park with 150 species of Australian animals. They expect this to be finished in time for the Christmas holidays. I may not understand where the transit centre is - or how tall the Wheel is - but it seems strange that the Wheel offers panoramic views of the ocean as well as south to Coolangatta and Mt Warning - but I can understand the "west to the Hinterland".

It's a sign of the times perhaps ... celebrity items are no longer selling as well at auction ... in fact, are not selling at all. Recently passed in were Superman's cape, a gold-and-diamond bracelet worn by Elvis and a diamond necklace that previously belonged to Princess Diana. It may just be the way the sentence was constructed in the report by I read, but each of those items - including the cape! - was expected to fetch between $1.5 million and $2.5 million. I might have considered paying that for the cape if it could make you fly ... after Virgin Blue's disastrous check-in computer melt-down today - leaving thousands of Australian travellers stranded - there's room in the market for a new budget airline.

A chap from Boeing was speaking here last week and talked of the changes in aviation that are possible now but which won't happen until they are commercially viable ... see-through aircraft (that will really work for those who are already scared of flying) and 12-minute flights between Sydney and New York (which doesn't count the time spent on the tarmac in Sydney ... including the 20-minute taxi to the far runway). The world will be an amazing place tomorrow!

Day 70 (Saturday)

Thinking some more about the visit of Mr Snake yesterday, at least we can be thankful we don't have neighbours like the one in Xianling village in China. As a money-making scheme he decided to buy 3000 cobra eggs, hatch them, and then milk the snakes for the venom to sell for use in traditional medicine. A workable plan on the surface, until over a hundred of the cobras escaped through a hole in the wall of the disused building where he was keeping them. The other villagers were understandably upset at the sudden increase in serpent numbers and called in local authorities who set about catching the snakes. Or so the story goes ... because despite reports that the cobras had all been captured (except for a "few" that were still unaccounted for) the villagers are still seing lots and lots and lots of them. It makes our one sighting seem quite insignificant (and makes me wonder what L and D have been doing in that shed)!

We are all creatures of habit or have our own way of tackling things until someone suggests alternatives. Before leaving Latimers this morning, I was searching for my Pogo Stylus to use with a new handwriting application on the iPad. Not being able to find it straight away, I thought it might have dropped on the rug and I asked S to hand me the torch so I could look for it properly as it was quite dark. "Why don't you just open the blinds?" she asked and, of course, that was the perfect solution since they were still drawn ... but I hadn't given it a thought. I'd like to say it had something to do with our late night (2am) but ...

Meanwhile, outside, S was playing with Pearl, and complaining about the state of the ball, even though she was using the "ball thrower". It made sense when I watched her. No-one had shown her how to pick up the ball with the thrower, so you never actually have to touch the ball, especially when it has gone up and down the yard a few times and is quite "soggy" with saliva. It's just what you're used to I guess. So we've both learnt something today - blind before torch and how to give a toss!

We found ourselves (perhaps a little accidentally on purpose) at the Q Centre at lunchtime today so S could feast on Hainan Chicken and me on Wonton Noodle Soup - it has been too long between good Chinese dishes because we're not counting our last Chinese meal as "good" - on a number of levels. We went past there on the way home this afternoon and could almost hear that child screaming again/still.

Because we had such a late night last night, afternoon naps were high on the priority list. Alas, so was watching "Hello Dolly" - I had never seen it and had been curious since finding out that two songs from it, and a clip, were in "Wall-E". They don't make movies like that any more - talk about a cast of almost thousands. It was amazing to see a young Michael Crawford who seemed to have, even then, a few Frank Spencer mannerisms, but not yet the lovely rich full voice of "Phantom of the Opera". That doesn't mean I totally forewent the afternoon nap - it just turned into a late afternoon nap - with Pearl providing a rather effective alarm when C opened the gate on her way to feed Holly (who, if the planned stud visit goes to plan, will soon be in foal).

The kids are all in early tonight so we're not going to worry about finding the magnets to affix to their collars so only they can go through their flap; it would no doubt be a very different story if it could be used while the back door is closed. After yesterday's sighting we had decided the screen doors must remain closed but hadn't for a second thought the cat flap could provide a snake entry point. With our luck, they'll bring their own magnets or get stuck on the way through. But enough about our cold-blooded reptilian friends otherwise I'll start scanning the floors for signs of one again. As long as we know what to do when we see one (stand still and scream) it will be okay ... and to use an umbrella when mowing under the trees ... and to make sure to wear boots and long pants while in the paddocks - the list will no doubt grow as we think of things.

Sunday comes around quickly and it's Markets again tomorrow. Hopefully the rain will hold off (it didn't today) so there can be mowing too. I missed it today because I actually find it quite enjoyable and still very satisfying. Also, because R is due back from his cruise, and here later in the week, I wanted it to be ready for him for edge trimming. The rain has been good though, together with the warmer weather, and I noticed this afternoon that one of the plants that had been pruned right back a couple of months ago - that would be the one that looked like dry sticks stuck in the garden - is now shooting green growth all over. Spring is truly wonderful here at Latimers and, as always, we are looking forward to tomorrow.

Day 69 (Friday)

The only thing wrong with Samagrams is that sometimes it gets confusing when you're trying to think of a word. Take today for instance ...here I was trying to think of a word and I kept getting a whole lot of others: keans, lakes, leaks, lakes, sneak, snack ... oh wait, there it is ... SNAKE! S sent me a text message at work half-time "Hi. What sound do you never really want to hear? Call me for the answer? PS We are all okay so no need to worry". I immediately thought of two things ... the sound of a person vigorously clearing their throat somewhere in the immediate vicinity in the Customs arrivals hall returning to Hong Kong from Macau ... and Emma being physically unwell. The latter seemed to be the most likely since Latimers is a long way from Hong Kong. Thankfully, if this was the case, and thank you to S for thinking to include it in the text, there was no need to panic as everyone was okay. Everyone? Hmmm. Ring ... ring. "That was quick." What could I say - I was curious ... which is a strange feeling when it's not paired with anxiety. I'm not sure of her exact words after that but this was the gist. No sooner had she and K finished their morning tea during which they touched on a wide range of topics, including, apparently, snakes that K went outside to finish clearing the kitchen windows, including the fly screen. Not long after there was a scream and S, busy on the computer at the time, decided that Beazley must have jumped out from under the BBQ cover and given K a start. (If it had been me, obviously I would have rushed out to find out what type of industrial accident had been involved.) K came in not long after, and asked S if she had heard her scream. S said she had ... and K provided the reason: when she had reached down to pick up the fly screen, she found a 1.5 metre long snake. It slithered off in the direction of the fence ... and left the property (she says). It was a bronzy green colour and it looked a little worse the wear because something had taken chunk out of it. I suppose if we see it again (hopefully we won't), we'll know it's the one. So ... snake season has started. Unless it was a lone one who, having visited, is now moving on to visit the rest of the Latimer's properties.

It was K's second snake in two days. Her first was yesterday, and it was in her Elanora swimming pool. She said, when asked by S, that snakes swim remarkably well.

Dolphins also swim well, although word is that when they're young, and they're trying out their moves, they can appear a little uncoordinated. This is the experience at SeaWorld when they have just celebrated the birth of the third dolphin calf there so far this year. All of them are female - and females can be tough.

Take the Montana woman who beat off a 90-kilogram black bear with nothing more than a zucchini. It (the bear) had attacked one of her dogs on the back porch of her home. When she tried to separate them, the bear bit her - so she took to it with the largest thing she had within reach ... a large zucchini. The bear fled. (It's a pity S hasn't planted zucchini.)

Based on that, you'd also think she'd be likely to take on the Mafia is she lived in Calabria instead. That's where a new scam is now rife ... Mafia mobsters have been calling on the winners of the Lottery and asking them (probably not very nicely) to hand over their winnings. The cash helps them bypass the laws in place to prevent money laundering. This approach certainly takes the luck and uncertainty out of trying to win the Lottery - and it's worth winning .... the jackpot currently stands at Euro 143.4 million.

We have returned from Friday night dinner with F. We had been planning to go to Spinners (it has been a while) but when we arrived he asked if we would prefer to stay in instead. Amazingly, S had said that he would suggest this because "he's a home body". So stay we did - and F cooked steak while I went off to forage chips (Benowa Gardens Fish & Chip Shop) and Coleslaw (KFC). It was nice to just sit and chat around the table. The boys were going out with some friends who are over from New Zealand so they didn't join us for dinner. M did though - via Skype anyway. The poor thing is not terribly well - she has a bad cold/flu - but she is not giving in to it! She was off to go out for coffee with her cousin when we spoke to her - and she even cut the conversation short so she could continue her preparations. This is the first time we have spoken to her since Switzerland, and she said she had a great time. Ooops, I meant to ask her about the criminal investigation and the magnetic garbage can. Next time.

The other thing we talked about at F's was the idea he's been kicking around for some time - which I'm not documenting here because enough people already know about it. We talked about producing the individual units and the "other bits" although I'm not sure that F's had enough time to actually absorb the suggestions we made. We finally called it a day just after midnight - which is almost the latest we've ever been. It's a pity the keeper of the "leaving" word wasn't on hand to invoke it (not that we ever seem to hear it, remember it or act on it but it's always good to have an exit strategy).

Did I mention we left somewhat reluctantly because all S could think about was having to get out of the car and open and close the gate in the dark when we drove in? I did what I could, having the headlights on high beam all the time she was out of the vehicle, and she was not assailed (this time).

The kids were great - all coming in the first time they were called and they have now cuddled up on or near the couch with S. Hopefully they will take pity on us and sleep in in the morning ... I say "hopefully" because I'm fairly sure that's not going to happen tomorrow.

Day 68 (Thursday)

Tink was nowhere to be found this morning and I was really starting to worry. I knew she had come in last night - she was the last in - and usually she's in her favourite position, perched on the back of the recliner. Not this morning. And I knew she hadn't gone out already because I was the first up and was almost knocked down by Pearl asking to be let out. So, the search of the house, of all her other favourite spots began. And she has a few - often those also favoured by the others. But she wasn't there either and she wasn't coming to whistles or calls - and she was missing her breakfast. I don't know why I looked into the shelves with the DVD player and other consumer electronics but there she was, looking as cute as anything, draped attractively and almost begging to have her photo taken and posted on Facebook! How could I resist? (Homer used to take great delight in posing cutely in various receptacles throughout the house - but, to be fair, we were the ones who posed him in the babushka scarf just that one time. Purple really was his colour.)

S spent a bit of time with Hermes today - giving him a small smorgasbord of treats - carrot, apple and some of his muesli bar. He is looking good and seems not quite so vocal these days when Holly forsakes him for Gundy. Poor him. The next-doors are still doing a great job of tending to him: coat goes on, coat goes off, hay comes over the fence, the pick-up happens and water gets changed. They will no doubt appreciate a weekend mow of at least one of his paddocks.

When they talk about how high grass is, is it like corn where they say it's as high as an elephant's eye? Or can you measure it in hands? Just joking although I don't think Mark at work was when he said that while September wasn't bad for grass growing on the Coast, the real grass growing months are January and February. Impressive.

We have communicated with F today and Friday dinner is a goer. It seems like ages - even though it's only three weeks - and we've really missed it. It's the perfect way to bring the working week to a close, especially if you've spent time in Brisbania. We're looking forward to finding out how he's progressing with his plans for retraining the lads about late-night computer gaming, early morning rising and other life lessons. If any one can do it, F can.

We went out for lunch from work today, to a Greek restaurant at Robina. Alas, there was no time for a side trip to the Apple Store but we did duck in to JB but left emptyhanded. Hardly worth going really except lunch was yummy. The current full contingent from the office went - all six of us. We lose another one on Monday, another one the week after, and we're still waiting to hear about the others. Only another six weeks before a decision is expected, although we said that last month and the month before that and ... hopefully soon.

Another gorgeous moon tonight - if it isn't full, it should be. Is this why the kids are reluctant to come In this evening? Only Maggie to go now - the same Maggie who was hanging around outside the gate this afternoon. She should come in for supper cookies soon. Her sense of timing is impeccable. And speaking of pecks, the swallows are still here doing very fast low-level flying in the area near the nest.

K comes again tomorrow. She told me she was quite taken with all the animals. I don't think there's any doubt she's an animal lover. Her parents breed horses and she's always had dogs - including her current cattle dog (previously mentioned). When she went to the local show, it was for the animals - at Mudgeeraba, Southport and, I think, the Ekka as well. And she doesn't mind a chat. Just hope we don't need to cut her back any more at work - we're already down from three cleans a week to one.

There's been no word from the Great K since he returned to pick up his suit and shirt (blowin' in the wind) ... but he should have received his thesis mark by now. He did quite well in his other subject so hopefully he will be pleased with the thesis mark as well. He was planning to work on preparing it for publication - depending on how well it had been received by the readers.

It's that time of year again when my thoughts turn to ... tax. I've started pulling together the paperwork, have spoken to the accountant and can't help but wonder why the Australian Tax Office can't be happy with that. Why is it that you have to carry out a "good" action but intent could be enough to find you "guilty" of some crimes. (Feels like that brings us full circle to a question we were wondering about a while ago - why is there no single word for doing a good deed yet there are any number for doing a bad one e.g. sin, transgress.). Hmmm ... given that Maggie has now come it ("last chance" does seem to work - albeit not immediately) that might be something to ponder tomorrow.

Day 67 (Wednesday)

The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain ... here, it falls on Latimers. We were greeted by yet another wet morning today and another inch of grass growth. At this stage we are going to have to invent a ball detector to find those that Pearl leaves up the back when she gets distracted by a call of nature - either hers or someone else's (thanks Chico).

But it was fine enough for us to bathed in the light of the almost full moon this evening ... truly glorious. September is the time when the moon is nearest to the earth - as celebrated with Chinese Moon Festival and the eating of Moon Cakes. I have often wondered if the moon looks different from the other side of the world and in another hemisphere or if it is the same aspect of the moon shining down on us all. I also remember that movie, although not the name of it, where the moon, having been hit by a meteor and falling out of orbit towards earth, is split in two by an explosion in an attempt to "right" the problem. Of course, as with all disaster movies, whether big screen or telemovie, humanity prevails.

Although in some instances it is the stronger species ... like cats. S is not sure how she does it (I suspect the powers of non-keen observation by someone has something to do with it) but as we were getting everyone ready for bed tonight, including the kids, she happened to look in Maggie's basket and find something ... now what was that word she used ... "horrible". It turned out to be some dinner Maggie had caught for herself (yes, we are feeding her enough)- or perhaps appropriated from one of the others - which we think she was keeping for a snack for later. Not any more.

It was an exciting day on the Coast today - including a high rise fire in Surfers Paradise in the Circle on Cavill building in what appears to have been a cooking accident which resulted in several floors of the building being evacuated, and a single case of smoke inhalation - plus much traffic disruption in the area.

Meanwhile, on the M1 at Helensvale, a motorcyclist who had been white-lining up the highway ("we were going 110kph and he went past us like we were standing still" one motorist reported) apparently misjudged the gap between two cars and slammed into the back of one of them. He is in an induced coma at the Gold Coast Hospital, in intensive care, but apparently in a stable, if critical, condition.

The spate of armed robberies (can you call it "armed" if there's a knife or machete involved) on the Coast continues. Bottle shops seem to be the target of choice although a taxi driver has been assailed, and the same perpetrators staged a home invasion soon after. It looks as though the police - currently under a lot of public scrutiny with the Crime and Misconduct Commission - have detained a suspect in relation to the last two events.

Organizers have come out to assure us that the Armor All Gold Coast 600 (formerly the Gold Coast Indy) will go ahead as planned even though there have been delays in constructing the "precinct" because of the continuing wet weather. This has been heightened because of a shortened construction period (possibly in a bid to cause less disruption to the surrounding residents and businesses).

Whales continue to make their way along the Coast and advertisements are now appearing in the Gold Coast Bulletin to remind people of the penalties for approaching too close to the giant sea mammals or approaching them from the wrong direction. Sea World's whale watching tours continue to guarantee sightings. We still haven't booked but will have to rectify that as we don't want to miss out and while we know you can sometimes see them from the shore, you don't get to see much of them - perhaps a flume (I thought that was a new word - cross between a "fluke" and "plume" - but it's already taken in the dictionary) - and that seems to work better if you're in a fairly high position ... hmmmm ... perhaps the Coolangatta look-out would be a fine vantage point - during the daytime of course because we know it's not advisable to be out and about just "looking" there - even if you're not peering into the windows of parked cars - at night!

S's vegetable garden continues to grow - helped along by the rain (did we mention it's been raining a bit here?). Hopefully somebody likes eggplant because it looks as though there's going to be some - and capsicums, and chilli, and more tomatoes. Not sure if the corn ever made it in - it was the wrong season when the garden was started - or beans. Which reminds me, it's time to wander down the back and check the bananas again. <Looks> Now where did we put that machete?

Pearl continues to wait patiently outside our room and is starting to put herself a little bit into the manchester nook rather than being directly in front of the door. Sometimes she can't help herself though but, thankfully, that's usually in daylight hours when we can see her. She likes the shower though ... and there's nothing quite like doing morning abluting while she, Maggie and Beazley watch. S usually entertains them while she's there ... singing the Pearl song ... and Pearl sings along as well. Maybe I will get her to teach it to me tomorrow.

Day 66 (Tuesday)

There are sometimes when you don't question someone asking in a quiet voice "Can you come here?" When S said it this evening was one of those times and I followed the sound of her voice to find she was no longer inside but standing outside on the back patio looking up towards the stables. The stable lights were on. "Can you see anyone up there?" she asked, pointing up towards the four-wheel drive, tractor and Hermes' back paddock. I peered into the gloom, shielding my eyes from the stable lights so I could see. Nothing. But that didn't mean it was nothing. S had heard Hermes (or another horse) and when she'd come out to check, she thought she had seen movement near the stable.

She kept watch as I fetched the torch so we could take a wander up the back and see. I checked first, to make sure I had a phone in my back pocket, and then we made our way up the yard. The light from the torch revealed nothing except for Holly and Hermes standing together just down from the round yard. They didn't appear to be agitated.

At this point we called Pearl, who was sitting, almost disinterestedly, watching from the patio, to come and together she and I checked in and around the stables to make sure all was in order. She was very brave and very obedient ... a credit to all her training. Then not finding anything of concern, we trouped back to the house to settle in for the evening.

I'm not sure what we would have done if any of the animals had been agitated at all - especially since I'd noticed that L and M weren't at home when I drove though this evening - but of course, there's always B - and all of their numbers are programmed into the aforementioned phone.

Mind you, anyone trying to sneak in by foot from the road would have had their work cut out for them. As I came in, the plovers were out with their chicks - who are growing as fast as the grass - and the parents were being ultra-protective, even trying to ward off the car as they tried to shoo the chicks off the road and out of the way.

Did we mention that the rain has stopped - or possibly just relocated, hopefully not following W and K far out to sea. They wouldn't be terribly happy with that.

I don't know what S and the kids were up to today, but all of them are in and tucked up and in bed by 9:30. This is almost unheard of (especially since it's usually me who's the first off). The cats are on their respective chairs - Tink on the recliner, Maggie on the cat tower, and Beaz on the couch. Pearl has been down on her bed, ostensibly keeping me company but actually sleeping.

It may just be a coincidence but we believe we have tracked down the "man flu" vector. An email from L and E confirmed they had enjoyed their visit but that L had been sick since her return with a cold so bad she had been unable to go to work. S and I immediately leapt to the same conclusion: Man Flu! had hitched a ride on the plane from Sydney, attached itself to L, then jumped onto me - from where it's been trying to jump onto S ever since but she valiantly keeps fighting it off. Hopefully it didn't jump onto W and K or anyone at the markets on Sunday - or on the train when I went to Brisbane or ... It makes you realize how much trouble this country is in if we are ever hit by a pandemic! Especially given the number of people who don't follow even the simplest of hygiene habits.

I have heard the phrase that normally sparks fear in my heart - and dread in S's ... Daylight Savings. Thankfully it won't be coming to Latimers but it will be in NSW in a mere 12 days' time. I was stunned - wondering why they were introducing it earlier than they usually do - until I realized that October is only a moment away. Not quite sure where this year has gone!

But it hasn't been frittered away by the theme parks ... both DreamWorld and SeaWorld have introduced some revamped or new attractions. The Tower of Terror has now become even more terrifying as they have re-oriented the carriage so it now faces the ground. You are pulled backwards into the air and then dropped ... with the entire ride taking a matter of seconds - that's what I read anyway and the reporter's comment that it was just the safety harness saving her from plummeting headlong to the ground below was enough for me to decide it was one ride I never want to go on. Over at SeaWorld they have introduced Castaway Bay which seems to also have its extreme elements including Sky Climb - a high ropes obstacle. If you want to keep your feet securely planted on Terra Firma or not far from it, there's always the Battle Boats featuring folk-drenching water cannons or the five-level Sky Fortress which has rope climbs, tunnels and slides as well as some games and puzzles for a bit of mental stimulation.

Not to be left out Jupiters is bringing back Master Illusionist Joe Labero whose new spectacular "Genesis" opens in November. It will run for a strict six-month season - unlike his earlier shows which had extended runs including Illusions which holds the record for the longest-running act there. It could be amazing especially as he promises to "make 13 different people disappear each night and reappear, well most of them". Auditions are about to get underway for the 12 local dancers and a female singer who will also feature in the show.

And word is that Space Shuttle Discovery (getting ready for its final fllight) will be moved to the launchpad at Cape Carnivale (as pronounced by a local newsreader) tomorrow.

Day 65 (Monday)

Okay, who put in the order for torrential rain? Because it seems to be being delivered here by mistake. Talk about wet! And we wouldn't have minded so much except we were driving to Brisbane this morning to meet W and K off the cruise ship. No easy task given the research was undertaken while under the effects of "man flu" - and what an absolutely shoddy job of research it was! We ended up at the Port of Brisbane all right - where the container ships and bulk coal and grain are loaded. The sign I should have been looking out for was "Cruiseship Terminal" - which I might have known if I'd kept reading after "Port of Brisbane" or listened to Gomez the GPS. Still, it was only a half-hour detour and it was interesting. Of course, if I had been on the ball we would have taken the train up and then the River Cat to meet them. Ah well - there's a plan for next time. And to make sure - since we knew it was going to be cool - that both S and I have packed our "layers" and that if S does forget hers that I have a flannelette shirt which is not "skimpy" (S will be able to fill in the other words she used to describe the shirt I had chosen primarily to colour coordinate with my other layers) but a good, thick, substantial one.

We now have a photo of W and K embarking on their tropical cruise of the islands looking like drowned rats, one of them wearing an overcoat, and with the ship's bow framed by the gray skies of Brisbane. But we had a good time and it was great to see them.

We took the River Cat up and down the river, trying to work out where we were using the map in the timetable a kind Translink employee came round handing out. We were able to locate N's suburb which I had thought was off in another direction, and not quite so close to the airport. We passed the PowerHouse and remembered the Robyn Archer concert there, and that that's where they have the markets on a Saturday morning where you can get good, well-priced cheese.

The architecture, especially the mix of old and new, is amazing. W and K have picked out a couple of places that they wouldn't mind having. They did point out that it would be good if someone ran a "This is Brisbane" tour - where they'd pick you up from the boat and give you a day-tour of the key places in and around Brisbane, together with commentary and history. Sounds like a great idea!

A couple of the wharves are home to swallows which came and perched on the Cat's handrails and then flew besides us, as best they were able. Those River Cats move at quite a speed though - W, who is a bit nautical and who has recently fitted a new propellor to their boat - estimated it at about 25 knots. This was, they said, a good deal faster than the 9-knot average the "Pacific Sun" had maintained on her way up the Coast.

They were enjoying the cruise (Day 3) - mostly. The ship's routines have changed a little since they last went and they were saying that now that tipping was optional, the service rather than improving seems to have dropped off greatly as the ship folk seemed to think they wouldn't be getting one - so why bother? But they had managed to win the "rock and roll" dance contest (prize = beer coolers) and Wayne's correct trivia answer gave him the chance to impersonate Elvis Presley (which was more of a Tom Jones according to K).

On the way up the river (why does that phrase always remind me of "Apocalypse Now"?) I was able to point out the new building I'm working on, and where I'm currently working - as well as the Treasury Casino and a few other points of interest.

We lunched at South Bank in a pub called the Plough Inn which served beer that had W in raptures of delight. It was in stark contrast to the beer on the boat which had been served in warm just-washed glass, which still had half a centimetre of hot water in it. When W pointed out that it was flat, they shook the glass to give it a few bubbles and half a head, and handed it over to him. He then commented about a lack of command of the English language that prevented them from understanding his protests.

As S keeps saying, cruising is her idea of hell, although she was willing to concede that it did depend on the cruise. The one that S and A went on over in Alaska would probably be okay and not just a "floating Leagues club". But ... each to their own ... and we had them back at the boat in good time ... they had to be on board no later than 5.30pm and that was after they had been through customs/immigration/etc. The regulations are so strict that they are not able to take any foodstuffs, including water!, back on board with them when they have visited a port.

So, we all went home tired but happy ... and were greeted by a honour guard of animals who seemed to have spent their day inside - waiting for their dinner time to roll around. They have now eaten and have settled in next to S in their various positions on and around the couch. Not that you could blame them as the rain keeps falling outside - and is supposed to continue tomorrow.

Day 64 (Sunday)

"The 1937 Hindenburg disaster was a major blow to blimp enthusiasts" ... if the Gold Coast Bulletin keeps this up, they're going to lose at least one reader!

The day dawned gray and overcast at Latimers and, in retrospect, shorts and polo shirt may not have been the very best wardrobe choice. At least there wasn't a cool Antarctic breeze blowing through the "food hall" at the Markets. And there were enough bodies stuffed under cover to keep it almost warm.

We were joined by the usual crowd - and it was good to catch up after missing out last week. F was the first there, followed soon after by M and A ... no N and still no word on the Canberra job but if she's not heard by the end if this week she's going to chase them ... A was telling us that for her current job, when she contacted them for a progress check, a person on the other end of the line asked her if nobody had told he she'd gotten the job. M and R and little L were there too (but no E) - L is out of sorts because his molars are coming in - hopefully that will happen soon and be the last of his teething for a while. He seems to be in such distress, the poor poppet.

Keeping with the B theme (as in Bundall) we were off to Bernie's for more oral care cookies for the cats, and then to Bunnings for seedlings for S. We may have even made it to JB Hi-Fi except I haven't yet received the gift voucher for correct identification of the mystery photograph which was indeed the Len Lye Wind Wand at New Plymouth, New Zealand. Rob was surprised that they finally had a winner after seven months.

The cats and Pearl were being very helpful today. All of them (except Tinker) have been out on the lawn eating grass. Not quite sure what that was all about - but if we can get them to eat more ... especially on that patch near the front ... it could revolutionize the mowing. (Hopefully it doesn't mean that they've been feeling under the weather.)

Junior MasterChef is on again tonight - or Mini MasterChef as I've now dubbed it following a comment by tonight's guest judge - Matt Preston. After eliminating six of the youngsters in tonight's first heat, he encouraged them to come up and kick him on the shins the next time they saw him ... but, why wait? One of them walked up then and there and kicked him on the foot ... or boot actually. There was (and I don't understand why) applause. But these kids can cook! These cheflings (thanks Matt) could wipe the floor with me any day!

Well, the weather folk were right and it looks as though the rain has now set in. It has been falling steadily since mid-afternoon and shows no sign of abating. But at least the kids are all in and tucked up early for a change but we suspect it may take a little coaxing to get Pearl out there before she goes to bed ... which shouldn't be long now as S is just watching the end of Compass before she calls it a day.

We have heard from the cruise ship - it was off Tweed at around 10 and we have fine-tuned the rendezvous time to take into account that there are about 300 Brisbanians to disembark before W and K do. We are grateful for the extra hour or so of sleep this will allow - and that the peak hour traffic may have calmed by the time we are on the road. We still haven't worked out exactly what we are going to do with them - but think that the weather might be a factor. It's not going to be riverside lunch if it's a deluge out there.

There was a report in the paper that they are expecting the Coast to be hit by a number of cyclones this year - they are "past due". That, together with the unseasonably warm spring and summer also forecast, might not be exactly what we ordered.

There is nothing quite the sound of rain on the roof though, or of frogs ribbettig somewhere in the middle distance. It is truly lovely and just another of the many things we love about Latimers!!!

Day 63 (Saturday)

It was a low key start to the day but not so low key we didn't head on over to Crave for Saturday breakfast and a read of the weekend Sydney Morning Herald. But then it was back home again, via the shops to pick up a few essential supplies (bread and milk) and back to Latimers for a low key rest of the day.

On the way out, along Gilston Road, we noticed another dead kanga at the side of the road. That's the second in a fortnight. I'm not sure if that means there are more of them and they're having to go further afield (than the golf course) for grazing. It did however prompt S to repeat the comment that R had made yesterday, as taught to him by his father (I think): "There's livestock and then there's dead stock". Country people do have a different way of looking at these things, but I didn't realize they had sayings to go with it!

They (the meterological department) say that rain is settling in for the rest of the week - although it hasn't started yet. It has turned cold and gray though and there is a slight breeze as well, making it a lovely afternoon to be inside cosy and cuddled up and watching a nice lifestyle program or an iPad. Not for Sooz though, she's just noticed Hermes has come over to the fence and has gone out to give him a carrot or two.

L came over to collect the "truck" this evening as he's planning to go up and get some hay tomorrow. He'd not been home long from the races as he still had his shirt, vest and tie on. He polishes up quite nicely. And speaking of L, the Sportsman's Lunch was on yesterday but he had to cancel because M's Mum's funeral was on. C was saying this morning that even though it wasn't very big, family had come from all over, and it had been a beautiful service.

Lottie and Lacie are still sharing adjacent paddocks and it is lovely see them eating hay and nuzzling (who knew "nuzzle" was to rub noses?). They're not as friendly though as the cows we drove past down near the main road - one was busy licking the other one's back. I know I'm usually busy watching the road and not the cows when I drive along there, but I've never seen this before.

On the drive to Crave, past where the balloon had come down near the school the other morning, we were commenting that we never seem to see balloons on the weekend. It was some minutes before we realized why - we tend to get up a lot earlier during the week - and by the time we're up on the weekend, they are long gone.

L assures us that we are heading into peak grass growing season. As soon as it warms up, he told us, you'll be able to look out the window and see it growing. I believe him. There's some grass out there that's grown six inches in a week - and it must be different from other grass around it, because it looks like the lawn has a green Mohawk! (That reminds me of the receptionist our vet Janet used to have.)

R checked the bananas while he was here yesterday and while they are getting thicker, they're not ready yet. We have to keep the blue bag on for a bit longer. And finally, the spinach seedling S was given by M has started to come into its own. Won't be long before that giant spinach is taking over the vegetable garden. Which reminds me, we're off to Bunnings tomorrow for some more little plants for the patch - but no sausage sandwiches as we're having lunch with J!

The kids are good although, again, Maggie is dragging her feet and is not yet in. I'm sure she leads a whole 'nother life ... which hopefully entails her returning the favor to Chico who, S assured C and I this morning, visits Pearl so he can mark his territory (something to do with dog droppings I believe) before running back to his side of the fence. We think S is spot on - especially as we watched as he did it this morning. Pearl didn't seem to mind, in fact, she quite seemed to like the company - and ran off in the middle of a ball game to be with him.

Maggie has finally come in, Pearl has been out and come back in, Beazley has asked to go out and been told no, Tink has had her chin chuck and is content atop the recliner, Em's having a drink, S is in bed, and now, at 11.43 it's time everyone at Latimers was asleep!

Day 62 (Friday)

It's no fun being sick - as S keeps assuring me, especially as I turn into a boy which, as I reminded her, is exactly why I call it "man flu". After a week of doing the "soldier on" thing, with only a few Sudafed in sight, I finally put myself to bed this morning. I had thought I was going to go to work - when I rose at the usual time - or stay home and work - but I was wrong. It wasn't nine o'clock when I realized I was being a bear with a sore head - certainly a congested one - and not the world's nicest person ... definitely time to do something about it. Just an hour ... then I'd feel better and dive in again. I even put the alarm on. Which I slept straight through. S said that was not the amazing thing ... it was that I slept through Ross' visit - and as we know his visit this morning was mostly about the whipper-snippering - and he did lots of it including some just outside the room where I was sleeping. I think I had been vaguely aware of it but certainly not in that annoyed "I'm sick - go away" way. S did coffee (she made them both real coffee) and they had it out the back because she didn't want to disturb me - it was very sweet but I don't think there was much chance of that.

R and his family are off on a cruise to Noumea this coming week. At first S thought it might be the same one W and K are going on but R's leaves tomorrow and the other leaves Monday.

F rang this morning to say he was off to a 50th Birthday Party tonight so he couldn't make Friday night dinner. We'd only been talking about it a bit before he rang - wondering if he was doing anything special for his birthday tomorrow and whether we eould take him to Spinners to celebrate. S said he laughed when she mentioned his birthday - he'd forgotten it was tomorrow! We hope someone in his household makes a fuss over him. And I suppose this puts a whole new light on his remembering anniversaries! Depending on how I feel tomorrow, we'll see about catching up - otherwise he's definitely a starter for the Sunday Markets.

Before succumbing this morning I checked the nest - and could see three of the little ones crammed tight in it. Another one came zooming in as I stood there but I couldn't tell if it was parent or baby - they're all now starting to look the same. I did manage to take a photo of the three in the nest before they all took off for a tour of the yard and beyond. Nature is truly amazing isn't it ... that they can go from egg to flying in three weeks. They must almost be ready to leave as the cats are spending much less time out looking after them now.

Pearl is being a bit less well behaved at the moment. Not sure If she's just hungrier but she's started barking at S when she thinks she should be having her cookies - even when she's not due them. We'll have to work on that behavior before her mother gets back. We are confident that she has now returned to her normal, if naughty, self.

S is being a terrific nurse today. She very kindly ran into Coles to get some supplies when we drove in at lunchtime. Put me in a restaurant or cafe and it takes me for ever (and then some) to decide ... put me at home in bed, feeling under the weather, and I can tell you exactly what I want (and therefore must have) and be pretty sure that it isn't in the house. Which is why some tomato soup also came home with us!

I think Emma has enjoyed the company though. She's sitting on my pillow (which is on my knee as a kind of desk) as I write this. She seems okay even though she had another hypo yesterday. We're not sure if that was because she hadn't had all her breakfast, or that she didn't have all her breakfast because she was feeling unwell. It's pretty unsettling for both she and S when it happens but at least S knows how to manage it now. I don't think we are going to be able to put off blood glucose testing her for much longer - although part of me is wondering, at 18, what would be the long-term effects of not giving her insulin. Time to talk to the vet again.

It's Carnival of Flowers time and tonight I'm kind of glad that we're not booked on that 6.45am steam train from Brisbane to Toowoomba. The people we would have sat near are probably glad too although I'm probably not contagious and we would have been carrying enough tissues, Sudafed, headache tablets and hot steamy drinks for the journey. (That hot steamy drink actually sounds pretty good about now!)

Otherwise all is well and functioning within normal parameters here at Latimers. And now, overcome with a deluge of symptoms (and I suspect some cat allergy) any other news will have to wait until tomorrow ,,,

Day 61 (Thursday)

Telling it like it isn't ... "Fake it till you make it" – the auditors shared this pearl of wisdom with me this week. They suggested I print it out and post it above my desk at work. They are all of the younger persuasion and this is their "motto" and they obviously thought it would be helpful as a credo of sorts. Funnily enough, I read something similar about the young politicians starting to come through the ranks now – that they use spin and rhetoric to make people think they know what they are doing – definitely trying to give more than the illusion of control! The same item suggested John Howard and Bob Hawke were the last real leaders in Australian politics. (Hmmm, was this in one of the numerous pieces I read on the train on the way home tonight – or part of a letter I read today?)

Even though we have only just seen "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo", "The Girl Who Played With Fire" is now out ... not sure if it's in the cinemas but it was definitely on the side of a bus in Brisbania today. Will we wait for this one to come out on DVD as well? If it's anywhere near as graphic as the other, probably.

The animals are playing musical beds today ... Maggie is in Pearl's (inside) Beazley is in Pearl's (outside) (wonder if this has anything to do with the swallows), Pearl is in S's chair, and Tink ... well, Tink is in one of her favourite positions on the back of the recliner so we can easily give her a chuck under the chin as we wander past.

Word is that R is due tomorrow and will tidy up those edges and corners I couldn't quite get to on the ride-on mower. Must remember to get the biscuits out of the back of the car for morning or afternoon tea (depending on which part of the day he comes). S wasn't quite sure ... but she'll be here - and I may be, even though it's a Friday.

We have now heard that the decision regarding the project is being delayed by at least another month and they are ramping back the office. We're not quite sure what they will look like but the project manager said to me in passing the other day (between meetings) that it looked like it might just be the two of us there part-time for October. The immediate upshot is that no-one (from the other five remaining staff) will be in tomorrow so I'll be working from home most of the day (company policy dictates no-one works alone). I will need to go in and get some "stuff" especially as I am still gathering information for the auditors - and I have no remote computer access to the files - but I will take S with me and then we'll probably go off to lunch somewhere. ("Come in" - Spinners.)

It would be a shame if the project fell over at this stage, especially as I've been learning a lot about systems and processes in the Brisbania project office. At least the good thing is that I've been told they don't want to lose me and will work to find me a slot; the not-so-good news would be if that slot was in Brisbane ... commuting two days a week is okay but I wouldn't want to do it any more. It may be time to start looking for something else ... now if only I had some idea what that might look like.

It is stunning how quickly the grass has grown since the weekend. I can't imagine what it would look like if I hadn't done the second run over it.

I'm looking up towards the stables and wondering if the wheelbarrows are enjoying their rest from pick-up patrol. The folk who are doing it now are still mostly using rakes and buckets ... and, for the first time, it occurs to me to wonder what they do with it. If one horse produces a barrow-load every day or so, and they're looking after x horses, that's quite a bit to "relocate".

The Coast remain about the same - although the way of talking about it changes. On the traffic report last night we were told: "It's the usual happy patch between Nerang and Mudgeeraba" ... which is quite a refreshing way of thinking about a kilometres-long traffic "jam".

It didn't take long for Malcolm Turnbull to launch his first salvo against the National Broadband network. There was a fairly long opinion piece by him in today's Sydney Morning Herald. It was obviously targeted at the public because the focus seemed to be on cost rather than the technology per se, although he did question why Labor would want to roll-out fibre since wireless has had a much greater uptake rate in recent times. I'm not going out on a limb when I say we haven't heard the last of this.

Hmmm, the more I think about it, the more I'm certain it would be nice just to have a nice relaxing day at Latimers ... hearing the sweet twitter of bird song, watching the animals, listening to the roar of the whipper-snipper and waiting to see what R needs help with (at least no rain is forecast so the tractor shouldn't need to be rescued). Let's see if I still feel the same way tomorrow.

Day 60 (Wednesday)

Ms Maggie is the only one disobeying the curfew and refusing to come in tonight. I don't know who raised her to be such a willful feline. It seems to be fairly entrenched behavior and I have my doubts as to whether she will ever just come in when she's called. Of course, she may very well be in the middle of secret cat business, but the least she could do is come and let us know that. It's not as though we would swoop on her and lock her in if she did! Oh, alright, of course we would, but that would just to make sure that she was safe! (Ahhh ... that's what I was doing wrong ... I was neglecting to tell her it was her "last chance" ... that worked!)

The Great K took his leave this morning - although it did take a while. When he had still not stirred by about 9am, S debated whether she should knock and let herself and/or Pearl in. She decided not because she wasn't sure what might be happening behind closed doors - ancient art of origami, knitting, fitted sheet folding, World of Warcraft, sock folding ... some things are sacred and definitely not meant to be shared. But he did finally get up and packed the car ... after showering and having a cup of tea. He said "later" to offers of cereal and/or toast as he wanted to get his stuff squared away first. Of course, S didn't realize that meant leaving his suit and shirt hanging on the grapevine and "blowin' in the wind" - which is where she found them after he had left. He came back for them later.

Did S mention that it actually took two washes to de-fur The Great K's shirt - as sat on, laid on and loved by Maggie? She and Pearl were very pleased to get their room back today though - it had been a little cramped with The Great K's clothes and boxes, washing hamper, computer tower, heater ... the list goes on. Maggie didn't mind too much because she just slept on top of all of it - as Maggie does.

J arrived before TGK left but because he had slept in and was then busy with packing, S still found some time to do her pre-cleaner cleaning. We will have K back next week, and then J wants to come back on the following Friday (something about making sure the house is as good as it can be for the return of the traveller - as do we!). We will have K on standby though, just in case.

S has sighted at least three of the littlest sparrows but it's hard to tell if there are more or if they're all in the nest ... they are growing at a rate of knots now and it is almost inconceivable that all of them will fit in there. Tink and Beazley remain as interested in their comings and goings - it would be surprising if they weren't. Of course, Beazley pretends that he's not, just lying on the mat near the front door, paw extended nonchalantly as if to say "look at me, how harmless am I - if you ignore that I'm the size of a panther!"

We had a quiet night tonight - which included a long chat with brother W and his wife who will be in Brisbania on their cruise on Monday. I have yet to do the research but I think we'll probably take them on a trip into the City on the River Cat, and then maybe catch the Explorer Bus to give them a tour of the city. Hmmm ... it just occurs to me that they would love the brewery tour - if it's still on - although we would need to find something to do while they were thus engaged. It will be their first time to Brisbania and as K said "I'm going to leave it up to you two because we had such a wonderful day with you in Sydney". It's hard sometimes when you have a reputation to live up to. The ship will be in Brisbania for the full day - long enough for other passengers to come to the Glitter Strip to play in the theme parks. (Now, as long as we can find out where the ship docks, we should have no problem meeting them.)

We were planning to go to J's for dinner tomorrow evening, but because it is a Brisbania day, we've decided not to, especially as I may need to go back there on Friday. We're going to catch up on Sunday instead (there may a prawn lunch at the tavern in our future) - after the markets of course because we're not going to miss them two weeks in a row! (Must give F a ring to arrange Friday dinner as well ... I can't believe how much out of our routines we are.)

Who knew that Beazley loves drinking water off the plants in the vegetable garden? After S hoses, he jumps up into the bed and proceeds to lick the moisture off the leaves. He does it so gently too (one wonders if he suspects those sparrows might be watching him and he has to keep up appearances).

Pearl has been slightly low-key the last few days - since the visitors really - but seems to be back to her bright chirpy self now. We had checked her for ticks and fussed over every thing she did but she just wanted to lie low for a day or so. She was all "throw me the ball ... throw me the ball" when I arrived home this afternoon (as she was this morning as I was leaving) so we're not concerned, but we will continue to monitor her tomorrow.

Day 59 (Tuesday)

It's good to start the day with a smile and I did this morning when I walked into Maccas and saw J's T-Shirt: "My Boss is a Clown". I couldn't decide if it was in good taste or not - it does seem to be telling it how it is but it did seem that it could also be taken another way (or perhaps that's just me).

Tink and Beazley have taken up their positions again under the nest waiting for ... well, let's not think about that ... but those young birds are having a wonderful time flying around now. You can tell which they are ... they're the ones who are a bit broader in the body - probably because the parent birds have been wearing themselves out ferrying food to the nest for the last few weeks. You wouldn't think the difference would be noticeable but it absolutely is. There have been no more feathers sightings - and we're hoping there won't be. It is again reminiscent of the "circle of life" though (and why do I keep wanting to put "cycle of life") because we know in a minute the birds will fly away leaving an empty nest again. Once they do, that nest probably needs to come down. The parent birds shored up the one that was already there to be able to use it this time and there was so little room between the top of the nest and the ceiling that it did seem to present some challenges for both the parents and the chicks.

It's wonderful here at the moment ... just a little mist in the valley in the morning, and a couple of sunshowers today, but the kind of weather you could really get used to.

Even though the election is over and a minority Government is now in place, it seems that the posturing is going to continue. In the setting up of the Shadow Cabinet, ex-leader and Ozemail entrepreneur Malcolm Turnbull has been given a Communications portfolio with his task being to demolish the National Broadband system. When questioned about it, Mr Abbott said he'd appointed Malcolm because no-one else is better placed to do the job - which seems to be not so much about discrediting the system - which is currently being rolled out - but to have the Independents change their allegiance from Labor to the Coalition since the Broadband issue was largely responsible for their decision to "Vote Labor". Listening to Mr Abbott rabbit on about how detrimental a Labor Government has been and will be for the country evokes two responses for me: turn off the radio ... and to somehow find a way to become ruler of all the land and impose a silence order on politicians (how very autocratic of me!).

Today is The Great K Day and I was pleasantly surprised this afternoon to receive a text message from him confirming that he was coming, what time the plane was due to arrive, and a suggestion from him that he would text when he was here. Great inroads. I responded, asking him to phone instead ... don't know why but sometimes texts can take a while to get through and it seemed that it would be more efficient not to rely on it. The pick-up went well and we took him off to the Worongary Thai (we didn't risk finding the way there on our own ... we had Gomez the GPS help out) for dinner. It is still as good as always - and I'm sure the rest of the people there thought so as well - Tuesday night and it was nearly full!

We played "guess who" in the car on the way back up from the airport. I asked S and The Great K "Who is Stan Walker?". They, like me, failed dismally so the current offer at Gloria Jean's Coffees throughout the Gold Coast will have little meaning for them. Does it highlight what GJ's think their demographic market is? Are they right in thinking all their customers will believe that it is "the chance of a lifetime"? At least they actually did say - on the leaflet offering some lucky person the chance to win a latte with him - chances available with the purchase of a large drink - who Stan Walker is. Drum roll please ... for Stan Walker ... 2009 Australian Idol Winner.

The hunt continues for the KFC Bandit who is still reported as having fled the scene wearing black motorcycle gear and a blue scooter, which had orange trim on the seat. At this point, let me add that I had no idea where the Nerang KFC was - until S pointed out on the weekend that it was next door to Maccas. No wonder she had been a little concerned on the morning of the robbery when reports of a armed hold-up at a fast food outlet had been telecast and the images broadcast were of the general area rather than focusing directly on KFC. This could be further proof of how unobservant (or non-remembering) I am, as was my inability to provide a useful answer the auditors' question today of "is there a Subway near here?" My reply: "I know I've seen one but I can't remember where!" In my defense ... there were five of them! And they're coming back ... which means Brisbania will have to wait until Thursday - hopefully they'll be finished tomorrow.

Day 58 (Monday)

Latimers seems a little quieter and emptier today, without L and E there (or the traveller) but will no doubt feel "full up" again tomorrow evening when the Great K arrives. S has confirmed she will do a chicken and vegetable curry for dinner - which isn't exactly the steak dinner we would have had at J's - but we'll do that later in the week.

There was no sign of R and his whipper-snipper today, and it was all we could do not to ask L who was busy doing the fence lines up and down the lane, to come in and have a go. It doesn't look like a dangerous tool in his hands, but we know better and were pleased to see he was wearing safety googles and boots. There's nothing quite like seeing a man whipper-snippering in silhouette against the setting sun. It makes sense to do it in the cool of the evening as well, as I was surprised at how quickly he works - he'd done both sides of the lane by the time I'd taken the rubbish and the recycling up - although to be fair M did wave me down for a chat to ask if we would pass on news of her Mum's passing. Those folk are not having an easy trot. But at least they have a trip down south to look forward to in a couple of months, and M confirmed yesterday that, after he had been reminded a number of times, L had finally booked Lacey in to the stud for while they are away.

Otherwise it was a fairly quite day at Latimers ... especially since there was no blasting at the dam site today - as there was late last week. At first S thought it was thunder, until she realized it was fairly regular ... but she had to reassure the kids nonetheless.

The baby sparrows are flying! This is good ... but it also makes it difficult for S to count them to see if all of them are okay. She found some feathers below the nest today - just feathers, nothing else, well, except for the copious amounts of droppings on the newspaper which has been laid for just that purpose - and wasn't sure whether Tink had successfully lured one of the birds down low enough to "play". Hopefully this wasn't the case. We'll keep trying to do the head count - as long as they don't decide to fly off too soon.

It was a fairly quiet day in the office as well with the non-appearance of the auditors. But, they will be here tomorrow and this time there will be five of them. We almost have to put a new wing on the office to accommodate them - or would have if so many of our folk hadn't been farmed out to other sites as we wait for word on whether the project is proceeding.

We sat down to dinner tonight and S wanted to tune in to "Junior MasterChef" which launched last night with a massive audience of 2.2 million. Alas, the Obamas were on instead ... it seems the JMC is only on once a week, which makes sense when you think the kids have an education to pursue and just can't take months off at a time. (S was saying that she'd had a text from the other S of Molendinar asking if we were going to tune in ... we haven't heard that much from her lately, possibly as, according to her message, she is currently working two jobs.) We were glad we did tune in - the kids were absolutely amazing ... cooking quite complex dishes without recipes! There are 50 in this part of the competition - chosen from the over-5,000 who applied - and they are taking part - 10 at a time - in heats, with the top 4 from each going through to a final 20. They did two heats last night - international dishes and desserts - with the kids for each heat chosen based on their individual cooking preferences (and age it seemed). Someone wrote that the best part of the program was seeing the looks on the kids' faces as their names were called, for them to take a step forward as they were through to the next round; the worst ... the looks of disappointment on the faces of the kids who didn't make it through. I can't remember what the prize for the winner is (and there can only be one JMC) but every child who participates gets a range of cooking goodies including ScanPan knives, pans, a stick blender and ... a heap of other stuff which I can't recall at the moment. It did take a little of the suspense out of it, though, when they had previews for next week's show ... including close-ups of some of the kids who were still competing in the heat!

Tonight was the first time taking the rubbish up over the new road ... and what an absolute joy it was! If it hadn't also been recycling night, I think I would have brought the rubbish home and taken it up again. The hard part now is listening out for the wheelie bin to make sure it is still affixed to the tow bar - the ride is so smooth there's hardly any bin clatter! It will be interesting to see what they do with the leftover gravel and bituminous material which is currently piled beside the road near the gate where the trucks used to go down to drop the fill. Maybe they'll take it away (and this would be amazing since it's been there since they finished the road) tomorrow.

Day 57 (Sunday)

Finally L and E took a walk around Latimers to get the lay of the land, to take some photographs, and to spend some quality time with ... Holly. Surprisingly, it seems these women have no fear of horses and after offering the backs of their hands for Holly to smell, they took a walk down to the creek with her following them. It seemed to be okay as they'd already had a good chat (as opposed to a "yack" or even a "yak") with Larry who was in charge of horse patrol this morning, with one of Yvette's young ones in tow. They did say hello to Hermes too, and all the other animals as well. None of the other furries volunteered to go with them though (funny that) and I was on the Skype with Trish at the time so I will have to check their photographs later to see exactly where they went.

Tink has a new trick and we found her sitting on the window ledge outside our room this afternoon, waiting for the sparrow parents to forget she was there and swoop a little too close. We're calling it a hissable offence and may have to have more severe words with her if we catch her at it again. Suffice to say we are still at: Sparrows 6; Tink 0.

Larry was saying they have lots of nests in their shed but they'd lost at least one of them with the rain when the roof leaked. He didn't say what timing was attached to this - and we didn't ask too many questions - not being prepared for the answers that he might give. But on the wildlife subject, he did say that he has seen a fox over the back paddock - a lovely sleek looking one that is so red it's almost maroon. He said it has a lair in the tree roots over the fence on his side, and he'd been down there and there were tortoise shells and bones - which is how he knew it was the lair. The fox has been right up to their back fence.

After dropping the girls at the airport early (they were due there at 10:30; we let them out at 10:28), and bidding them a fond farewell as the Parking Patrol Person looked on, we made our way back to Currumbin to have a coffee and maybe even some morning tea. That was on the proviso that we could find a car park - not easy on a wonderful fine day at Currumbin any time, but even more so (less so?) on a beautiful Sunday morning with the Swell Festival in full swing. So, Plan B swang into effect and we kept driving to Burleigh where we stopped at our usual cafe shop - mostly because there wasn't a seat free in the three establishments we passed on our way there. It was a non-Barry day so we managed to miss out on the warm greeting he usually bestows on us including that almost-too-familiar kiss.

Spring is really in full swing at Latimers and I felt compelled today to take photographs to record the event. The juvenile kookaburra is still here and posed quite nicely on the fence near the garage. The wattle bird was audible but not really visible this time so I focussed instead on the sparrows, seeing if I could get a shot with all four of the hatchlings hanging over the side of the nest to show how truly cramped they are. On more than one occasion yesterday and today, we were very concerned that various of the little ones wouldn't be able to regain their balance through their frantic wind flapping, and would fall out of rather than back in to the nest.

It is amazing how relaxing the ride-on mower can be - and how much one can learn about doing the lawns each time. Just as well I had been taught the trick about what to do when the mower "got stuck" because I had to use it today. It was nothing serious - and had much to do with the amount of clover that's currently in the lawn. I took the blade up a couple of half notches and it was right after that ... although, not being satisfied with the higher cut, I came back for a second turn with it on a lower setting. I just knew if I didn't, I wasn't going to get my "Colorbond moment" out of the job. I did only the house yard today - and would have done around the outside of Hermes' paddocks but I was too early - they hadn't done the pick-ups yet. R is due this week so hopefully he will do the whipper-snipper rounds of the edges to finish the yard until next time.

Hermes is looking great, coat on, coat off at the right times, hay eating, and plenty of water in his tubs. There's still no sign of those red worms so we're starting to breathe a little earlier on that score.

We have now had word on the Great K; his mother advises he will be flying back in on Tuesday night and staying the night (since he can't get into his digs outside business hours).

Flushed with the success of the barbeque last night, we are planning to do it again tomorrow evening. That will be a nice thing to do at the end of the day when the Claim is due in, and the start of the week-long auditor's visit. It doesn't seem like two - or is it three - months since they were last at work! Yes, it's going to be a big day tomorrow.

Day 56 (Saturday)

What we thought was going to be an early start wasn't and we didn't manage to make it to Crave for breakfast much before 10.30 - which as we all know is usually morning tea time. So the trot around the property with L and E had to wait until later this afternoon except by that stage we were all watching the sparrow nest to see if E could get a good photo of parent feeding - and perhaps of a cow and egret taking a walk in the paddock over the way. It was actually quite relaxing, as it often is at Latimers, with only the sound of birds, the lowing of cows, the occasional neigh of a horse - and a lawnmower in the middle distance to break the tranquility.

This is just the way we like it - except it wasn't us doing the mowing ... which will not be deferred until tomorrow (please let the weather hold) or, failing that, when we contact young Christian. It's about to be school holidays so he would probably welcome the diversion and perhaps even a little extra pocket money (if that's what teenagers get these days).

We must have all worn ourselves out yesterday because after Crave and then a visit to Harvey Norman to see if we could get a phone charger for E's mobile, and a bit of a drive round to show off the Coast, we managed to make it back to Nerang for a cup of tea, a sandwich (it hadn't been a very big breakfast) and then all fell into our respective beds for an early afternoon nap. Not surprisingly, as I had been the first down, I was the first up, and as I was sitting out catching up with some writing (about Life at Latimers), E came out to join me and we started watching the sparrows. Then, as the others woke up, they came out and joined us, each time offering hot drinks, and even scones (which had thoughtfully been picked up from the bakery earlier ... no-one was offering to bake them)! L and E had also brought books with them (not sure when they thought they were going to get the opportunity to read them); L is reading the Lisbeth Salander novels (now so-called because I can never remember how to spell the author's name - and neither can the spellchecker!). She has decided she will read all three and pointed out that she had this much more to read - with "this much" being shown by a wide spreading of thumb and index finger to indicate the thickness of the remaining two books in the trilogy. She has also decided that she doesn't want to hear any "spoilers" - which is a shame because the conversation we were having about children and parenting could easily have been added to but not necessarily enriched with a peppering of snippets from Books 2 and 3.

Who knew that gas bottles could either be refilled or swapped? My education continues. Now if only the visitors could have remembered if it is hot water or cold water that you run down the outside of the gas bottle to show how much is left in it. Gas? Yes, that was gas. It wasn't cold enough for the gas heater (although it did look for a moment tonight like it was going to be) but it was just warm enough for a barbecue. And thank goodness the visitors were keen for one ... because working out the gas bottle was the smallest of our concerns. Buckets, paper towels, scrubbing brushes, barbecue cleaner (which we found just as the cleaning duties were ending), double latex gloves, water, steel scrubbing brush, cooking oil, tongs, clean foil - and the removal of one thank-goodness-it-was-empty wasp nest later, it was time to turn the "Beast Master" on - being careful of flame-outs - and all for the use of flame and heat for cleaning and sterilisation. It's just a shame that the sausages that went on to it seemed to have been made by the apprentice butcher and refused to some degree to retain either their filling or their sausage-shape. But they, and the chops, tasted pretty good - especially when teamed with a salad from S's garden.

After dinner we settled down to go through some holiday snaps from their recent choir trip to New Zealand. There was some amazing shots of one of the mountains - an extinct volcano as many of them there are - which had been sprinkled with a light dusting of snow ... but an even more stunning shot of something called a Wind Wand, in New Plymouth. It is an installation art work, 45 metres tall, by Len Lye and is a good few years old now. The "stunning" aspect is that I had seen another photograph of this only a couple of weeks ago (when stacking manchester or possibly it was linen into one of the meeting rooms) - and Joan was telling me that Rob was offering a prize to anyone who could tell what it was. I'm just trying to work out a way now to casually drop it into conversation :)

When we visited Harvey Norman we were pleased to find it was mid-sale and both E and I purchased very light-weight compact tripods. I would have loved to have used mine yesterday for bird shots, but when I unpacked it the base plate (which screws onto the camera and locks the camera onto the tripod) was missing. Hopefully, if I put it in a fairly prominent place, I will remember to to put it in the car when we take L and E to the airport so I can take it back and exchange it ... tomorrow.

Day 55 (Friday)

It looks a little cramped in the sparrow nest and we would be surprised if at least a couple of the little ones aren't sleeping in bunk beds. There's at least three chicks - make that FOUR - but there doesn't appear to be the same yum cha service at work as there was with the last hatchlings. If only Tink could talk ... she's spending a fair amount of time out with them and I'm sure she could tell us everything we want to know about their habits, development etc and whether they are up to test flight stage yet. I wouldn't have thought so but there does appear to be a least one of them (could be others but they all look the same to me) that's taking flights from the nest to the Christmas lights and back again.

L and E love Latimers! It's just a shame they didn't get to see it in the daylight yet.

Their flight arrived at 1 and we did your trick of taking them to Elephant Rock first. Swell is indeed on and after a very leisurely lunch we talk a walk up and down the exhibits, taking some photographs as we went. It was Day One, overcast and mild, and there was a fantastic turnout. There are some amazing works there - which didn't seem to include the Big Foots, nor the large spider web, which had been on display at Coolangatta Airport a few weeks back. The ingenuity of people will never cease to amaze me. That folk can conceive of these pieces, construct them and them have them delivered to the site - especially given the size of some of them - is fantastic. The biggest is probably ... well, it's hard to say, because they vary so much. There is one which is a 10ft wharf, with a figure sitting on one end, and a doorway at the other. We think we have seen work by this particular artist, except on a much smaller scale, as part of Sculpture By The Sea. The piece that we have definitely seen before is the one which looks like the rack and letters from a game of Scrabble which spells out IMAG NE. I trust the artist will understand if he or she ever sees my photograph of it where I have done exactly as they encouraged and cropped it so it now says "G NE". Both S and L said it stood for "GENE" as opposed to what I thought it stood for - "GONE". Which I suppose is what art is all about - people providing their own interpretation, to a point.

S was a bit surprised as we stood looking at one exhibit - a table at which likenesses of Mary MacKillop, the Dalai Lama, Frida Kahlo, Barack Obama and his dog Bo were seated- actually the dog was at Barack's feet - when this person rode up on a bicyle and started talking to me. Hello Natasha ... who had her youngest in a trailer behind her bike, and their dog. Older son was working the programs tent and had just handed S a program and explained about the competition - vote on your favourite artwork and be in the running to win one of the sculptures ... two of the shoes (similar to ones we have previously seen down south). S said she had wondered if was him - he was quite passionate and knowledge about Swell - and he had quite broad shoulders which reminded her of his father. They are all well and Natasha was quite impressed with the first day turn-out and the publicity they've been receiving in the media.

But looking at art up and down the boardwalk is thirsty work and as the afternoon started to draw to a close we made our way back to the surf lifesaving club for a refreshing ale - as in lemon squash, soda water, or lemon lime and bitters - and settled in for a while to watch the surfers jumping off the rocks and being carried out to the break by a rip. As the sun was setting, casting a lovely reddish hue over the clouds - providing another wonderful photo opportunity - we made our way back to Nerang and the shops to secure supplies for dinner, so S could made her wonderful lemon chicken dish again. So it was well and truly dark by the time we arrived back at Latimers ... to be greeted by a sleeping Pearl and an honour-guard of cats who thought it was definitely way past their dinner-times. We finally settled down to eat at about 8.30ish - accompanied by L's brother Stuart who is off to China on Monday but who could manage to come out to Latimers to see her. He was a bit surprised, especially since he only found out this afternoon that L and E were coming up to visit. He is a teacher on the Coast and has taught F and M's kids. Did someone say small world? The China trip - to Shanghai and Beijing - is with school and he agreed to go because all the children, except one, will be accompanied by a parent. The other one is a fluent Chinese speaker and Stuart joked that that's the one who would be acting as interpreter.

The kids were very good with the visitors and all came in at supper cookie time - except for Pearl who was in all night, mostly under the table, perhaps waiting for some morsel to fall to her (but none did).

Once the girls get up in the morning, we'll take them for a walk around Latimers so they can see just how truly wonderful it is here. Tomorrow.